diff --git a/virtcontainers/api_test.go b/virtcontainers/api_test.go
index 42cff73282..70ecfb928b 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/api_test.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/api_test.go
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ var containerAnnotations = map[string]string{
 func newEmptySpec() *specs.Spec {
 	return &specs.Spec{
 		Linux: &specs.Linux{
-			Resources: &specs.LinuxResources{},
+			Resources:   &specs.LinuxResources{},
+			CgroupsPath: defaultCgroupPath,
 		},
 		Process: &specs.Process{
 			Capabilities: &specs.LinuxCapabilities{},
diff --git a/virtcontainers/sandbox_test.go b/virtcontainers/sandbox_test.go
index 054db6331a..f47ad857a0 100644
--- a/virtcontainers/sandbox_test.go
+++ b/virtcontainers/sandbox_test.go
@@ -1454,19 +1454,22 @@ func TestSandbox_SetupSandboxCgroup(t *testing.T) {
 	successfulContainer.Annotations[annotations.ContainerTypeKey] = string(PodSandbox)
 
 	tests := []struct {
-		name    string
-		s       *Sandbox
-		wantErr bool
+		name     string
+		s        *Sandbox
+		wantErr  bool
+		needRoot bool
 	}{
 		{
 			"New sandbox",
 			&Sandbox{},
 			true,
+			false,
 		},
 		{
 			"New sandbox, new config",
 			&Sandbox{config: &SandboxConfig{}},
 			true,
+			false,
 		},
 		{
 			"sandbox, container no sandbox type",
@@ -1475,6 +1478,7 @@ func TestSandbox_SetupSandboxCgroup(t *testing.T) {
 					{},
 				}}},
 			true,
+			false,
 		},
 		{
 			"sandbox, container sandbox type",
@@ -1483,6 +1487,7 @@ func TestSandbox_SetupSandboxCgroup(t *testing.T) {
 					sandboxContainer,
 				}}},
 			true,
+			false,
 		},
 		{
 			"sandbox, empty linux json",
@@ -1491,6 +1496,7 @@ func TestSandbox_SetupSandboxCgroup(t *testing.T) {
 					emptyJSONLinux,
 				}}},
 			false,
+			true,
 		},
 		{
 			"sandbox, successful config",
@@ -1499,9 +1505,14 @@ func TestSandbox_SetupSandboxCgroup(t *testing.T) {
 					successfulContainer,
 				}}},
 			false,
+			true,
 		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
+		if tt.needRoot && os.Getuid() != 0 {
+			t.Skip(tt.name + "needs root")
+		}
+
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			if err := tt.s.setupSandboxCgroup(); (err != nil) != tt.wantErr {
 				t.Errorf("Sandbox.SetupSandboxCgroupOnly() error = %v, wantErr %v", err, tt.wantErr)